When coming back from SSEC in April, days became warmer and flowers hatched … after a long and hard winter, it was finally spring ! I was really surprised when I discovered a Rapha package in my letter box. I want to thanks Franziska for sending me this sample of the summer/spring collection: the Short Sleeve Shirt

At the first sight, I was really impressed by the quality of the work done, seams are really neat and the tailoring as well as the fabric are unique and top notch. No standard material is used at Rapha’s and everything is made to match the needs of a technical product.

Remarkable attention was given to the sewing job.

Rapha products usually have a little text about the cycling world, adding a qualitative and luxurious detail.

Front pocket detail, with a classy stitching

The back pocket is useful to put your wallet, keys, etc.

I couldn’t resist so I decided to go for a 60kms ride on a sunny afternoon, with my friend Wichlor.

The lightness of the shirt is really appreciable on summer rides

After few months of use, mixing long rides and commutes, sporty trips or urban /professional use, I was very surprised by this shirt. Efficient from both a technical and stylish point of view, it’s really cool to ride with an adapted product, not looking like a Sunday cyclist wearing a ProTour jersey, but rather like as a normal gentleman cruising in the city. The lightweight material is really appreciated on warm days and dries quickly, which is important in case of heavy sweat effort.

Some details have to be changed, like the reflecting square on the right back side … it might come useful in left-hand drive countries but it is less efficient in France, where the product was tested. I’d also liked to have more than one front pocket, because I often carry lots of articles. My main ride is a touring bike with a handlebar bag but lots of commuters don’t have this stuff …

To conclude, I really adopted this shirt, especially for commuting which is its first role. Even on longer rides it’s still comfortable and do the job. Please note that after several washes everything is still perfect, suggesting a long product life … keep this in mind when paying the hurting price of quality.

Fine bicycles, fine beers, and fine clothes ! The shirt is ideal for both going out in a classy outfit or riding/commuting.

At the top of Notre Dame de Lorette hill.

(pictures are from Samuel Becuwe and Rapha)
]]>https://concoursdelegance.wordpress.com/2013/11/15/an-elegance-clothing-rapha-short-sleeve-shirt/feed/0summer rideconcoursdeleganceRemarkable attention was given to the sewing job.Rapha products often have a little text about the cycling world, adding a qualitative and luxurious detail.Front pocket detail, with a classy stitchingThe back pocket is useful to put your wallet, keys, etc. summer rideAfter ride beertop hill viewA rusty élégancehttps://concoursdelegance.wordpress.com/2013/11/13/a-rusty-elegance/
https://concoursdelegance.wordpress.com/2013/11/13/a-rusty-elegance/#commentsWed, 13 Nov 2013 21:36:57 +0000http://concoursdelegance.wordpress.com/?p=477Continue reading →]]>After a long quest, my Louis Pitard is finally here. Some components have been changed through the years (wheels, front light), others are in a too bad shape to be conserved (saddle) … tu put it in a nutschell, a good restoration has to be done. Unfortunately, the frame has head tube lugs that may not be original (crash?). Still, the racks are really amazing, especially the rear one which is removable in few seconds with a 10mm key.

Barn find state

The Le Chat derailler, Mavic Inal mudguards and crankset will stay on the next version, but I’d like to find Maxi-CAR first generation , maybe a Selle Idéale 57 seat, Ava handlebar, Le Cyclo four speed rear derailler (or five if I’m lucky) and a Sologne bag … what’s your opinion on it ?

]]>https://concoursdelegance.wordpress.com/2013/11/13/a-rusty-elegance/feed/2Louis PitardconcoursdeleganceLouis Pitard general viewBicycle Quarterlyhttps://concoursdelegance.wordpress.com/2013/09/02/bicycle-quarterly/
https://concoursdelegance.wordpress.com/2013/09/02/bicycle-quarterly/#respondMon, 02 Sep 2013 16:08:01 +0000http://concoursdelegance.wordpress.com/?p=370Continue reading →]]>Few monthes ago I had the chance to grab an issue of Bicycle Quarterly. This magazine is edited by Jan Heine, altready known as the writer of some of the major books dedicated to competition or touring bicycles, and for his job about the René Herse rebirth.

I purchased the ’12 spring issue, mainly because the “tall and short riders” report interested me. There were also some lines about the history of the Nivex derailleur, the Bilenky cargo bike and some interesting stories on fascinating cycling trips. The products tested are really ridden for thousand of miles and this is clearly a good and independant job made by Jan and his associate. The investigation job on historic articles is particularly great. Unfortunately you can only buy them here and I think there is no other channel for distribution.

As a graphic designer, I’m touched by the simple but delicate layout, the black and white printing remind me of some old magazine like Le Cycliste.

We all know about the chain holder that Singer or Herse were putting on their bike, using either stock/redesigned Nivex rear-end or custom made “porta catena” with Nivex or Cyclo derailleur (we we will write more spefically on that in the near future). Still, before starting to do so in the 50’s, Herse used some crazy Belgium-made rear hubs. The main feature? You could remove the wheel and keep the freewheel firmly attached to the frame, spot-on swag for the Sunday rides … the RAS hubs came into France using the front door.

Please find below some drawings presenting such a hub on a Derche frame (don’t mind the Rene Herse derailleur).

Some others of those amazing hubs were manufactured during this time, this one is supposed to be English and can be found in Le Cycliste magazine from 1949 (well that what the people from Joto Ringyo Co. wrote in their Databook #2 , I was not able to find it in my collection so I can’t give you a name. I don’t have the full 1949 year so maybe someone luckier than me could help identifying it. EDIT: I found the right Le Cycliste magazine with the explanation, no brand mentionned. To me it’s unclear if it is a Bayless-Wiley)

Later, the notorious Cinelli Bivalent was introduced. As a smart Italian bicycle brand, Cinelli copied what was already invented, making it better and nicer. Success guarantee.

We are not going to write pages about it as it has already be done before on the Internet.

And now, a more recent version, developed by Reydel, France. Definitely my favorite. First those hubs are extremely light (<430g for the pair, including quick releases). Second, there are fully aluminium made, no steel here. The results is an astonishing piece of machinery being just as nice as they are fragile. Anyway, with the correct use, those hubs were lasting for miles and they don't have a bad reputation among the few racers that used them in the 70/80's.

5 seconds to change the rear wheel? Then you need to be real quick when tightening the quick release. But, as the ads says, it has been proved under the supervision of a bailiff … so it might be true.

All the classic bicycles offered by this famous brand are displayed one by one, from the high end Galibier to the “cheaper” Federal model. At the end, we can also discover some of the technical specialties that made Alex Singer one of the most respected builders ever.

]]>https://concoursdelegance.wordpress.com/2012/12/14/a-modern-elegance-pedimoto-9/feed/1countryside Pedimotoconcoursdelegancedetail of the Pedimotoseatstays PedimotoInside Line Equipement bagtransmission PedimotoPedimoto touring bike randonneuseStalen Ros Gand 2012https://concoursdelegance.wordpress.com/2012/10/29/stalen-ros-gand-2012/
https://concoursdelegance.wordpress.com/2012/10/29/stalen-ros-gand-2012/#commentsMon, 29 Oct 2012 20:35:03 +0000http://concoursdelegance.wordpress.com/?p=154Continue reading →]]>Each and every year, in late October, a bike show occurs in the city of Ghent, Belgium. This event takes place in the velodrome hosting the famous 6 days of cycling. For the record, this 250,000-inhabitants city has two velodromes ! We’re for sure in the track-cyclists heaven.